


Harry Potter and the Zombie Apocalypse

by TigerShark



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad Dumbledore, M/M, Muggle/Wizard Relations, Peerage, Secret Marriage, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-01-22 01:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1570943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerShark/pseuds/TigerShark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter and the Zombie Apocalypse<br/>or How Harry Discovered his Past and Helped Shape the Future of the World</p><p>In the end, the muggles did it to themselves</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is reposted after editing. Please refrain from annoying the author with comments on grammar, spelling, tenses or what have you. Its free, its fanfic. Enjoy it or go away.
> 
> Commentors:  
> It is not in my nature to respond to most comments unless asked a direct and specific question. You might have more luck corresponding with me directly on livejournal via tigershark666. I do thank you for your comments, like most authors it helps to convince me to continue writing.

In the end, the muggles did it themselves. But that crisp, bright October morning Harry Potter did not yet know that. What he did know is that it had been a horrible summer in Little Whinging, a nice quiet first few weeks of school and a Hogsmead visit that had prompted so much shouting between Hermione and Ron, that Harry had sloped off with Neville to spend a peaceful day knocking about the shops. Neville had a quiet sense of humour that made even the sad collection of robes at Gadabouts amusing, much less the groups of chattering girls flocking like butterflies in the warm autumn sunlight.

After a nice lunch at the Three Broomsticks Neville and Harry were strolling slowly back to Hogwarts in the early evening gloom when they heard the screaming.

Harry bolted right for it, with Neville a few cautious paces behind.

One of the fourth year Ravenclaw girls was wrestling on the ground with a dark shape and still screaming. Her friend was pulling at the man and shouting, red blood ran down her wrist.

Harry pulled his wand out, at a dead run and shouted 'Stupefy'. The red bolt hit the man and a flicker of light shivered over his body. The man made an inarticulate roaring gobbling noise and kept moving.

'Merlin’s balls' Harry swore mentally.

“Incarcerous!” Ropes shot out from his wand whipping around the man. Neville dragged the bleeding girl away from him.

The man writhed on the ground still grunting and growling. As Harry got closer he saw blood on the mans mouth and the unhealthy gray pallor of his skin. And he smelled; not just unwashed smelled, but more like the Morbidity Beetles from Care of Creatures Class. Ugh

Harry shot red and gold fireworks into the air, a prearranged signal and sure enough members of the DA and staff came running. Professor McGonagall hastened down from Hogwarts at a decorous run, one hand on her pointed hat.

“Professor! These girls need to get to Pomfrey right away. I think there’s something wrong with this   
man. He ...bit them.”

Ron and Hermione skidded to a halt next to Harry, wands out. Other members of the DA spread out around them in a protective cordon. Fred and George cast a floating ball of light into the sky to brighten up the rapidly approaching evening.

Harry could hear Professor Snape's voice nearby as he chivvied another large group of students, mostly Slytherins, back to the castle.

McGonagall leaned over the man, who was still thrashing and attempting to bite at anyone near by. She flicked her wand over him in a sequence of what Harry knows are diagnostic spells.

“He doesn't seem to be possessed or under imperious. If anything it seems like some kind of strange infection.”

“Well I got a pretty good stunner on him and it didn't do anything.”, Harry said, scanning the edge of the woods nearby.

“Professor I think we'd better get everyone into the castle.”, Harry said.

“Indeed, Mr Potter.”, She agrees. “Levicorpus” and lifts the still wriggling man up.

“Professor, he's wearing muggle clothes. That's odd. There aren't supposed to be any Muggles round here for miles, right?”, Said Neville, wand still at the ready.

“Harry!” Called Fred, pointing his wand at another shape in the woods, in the gathering darkness. Their floating light didn't cast much that far. But Harry can hear the moaning, growling noises, similar to the man they have captive.

“Inside the wards! Quickly now!” ,Harry says. The group of DA members start to back towards the castle and the safety of the wards. They are safely past the first of the several rings of flat wardstones when the shambling shapes break free of the forest, lumbering towards them.

“First rank hold!” Harry barks. “Second rank, fall back. Third, retreat, cover the professor.”

His army follows his orders and splits smoothly into their groups. Fred and George are in the second rank and stand at the second ring of ward stones, wands at the ready to lay down covering fire. Neville is shoulder to shoulder with Harry, his round face with with fear, but his strong jaw clenched in determination. 'Truly a Gryffindor at heart' Harry thought.

Ron said, “Zombies! Are they zombies Hermione? Like that moving you showed me last summer?”

“Zombies aren't real Ron”, Hermione said, her lips pursed.

“Well tell that to them.”, Harry said. The people come closer are all in what remains of muggle clothing . Tattered shirts, bloodstained dresses, one shoe off. All are in various stages of smelly gray skinned putrefaction. Clear bites marks show and in some cases missing patches of flesh and protruding bone. It's making Harry feel sort of green around the gills.

The zombies shamble up to the edge of the wards and fall back in a shower of sparks. 

“All ranks, ease back to the gates. Carefully now.”, Harry says.

“Colin, run to Pomphrey, tell her that they seem to be some sort of undead and possibly infectious. Make sure those girls are quarantined.”

“Yessir”, Colin says breathlessly and bolts for the gates. Colin had done track in Muggle school and was still one of the fastest runners in Hogwarts. That and his small size and excellent visual memory made him an ideal scout and messenger.

Professor Snape is guarding the gates, with the Slytherin boys bunched up behind him, wands ready. Ron scowls.

“Professor. Can someone warn Hogsmeade about these things?”, Harry says. His classmates pour past him into the courtyard by the main gate, waiting for instructions.

“Already done Potter.”, Snape said, glittering black eyes focused on the creatures bashing mindlessly against the wards.

“Any chance this is a … surprise from out dear friend?”, Harry says grimly but quietly.

Snape slants a glance at him. “These are nothing I've heard of. I know of some potions with similar mindless rage inducing effects, but those require live people.” Snape points out one zombie with its entrails dragging along behind it.  
“I do not believe these qualify.”

Crabbe breaks from the ranks behind them and retches noisily to one side.

“Harry!” Colin bursts from the Entrance Hall. “McGonagall needs you and Neville in the headmasters office at once and has anyone seen Malfoy? She needs him too. She already has Cockworth up there.” Colin pants out, bent over hand on his legs trying to catch his breath.

Snape straightens. “She needs those three students exactly?” He asked.

“Yessir. And you're to find an *pant pant* another professor to hold the gate and follow them up soon as you can.” Colin added.

“On our way sir”, Harry said to Snape, and he and Neville jogged inside.

A glimmering white doe galloped through the wall past them and shaded underground towards the Slytherin dungeons.

“Blimey!” said Neville

“A patronus” said Harry. Good thing they'd been practicing runs and the like over the last year. No point in getting to a fight too winded to cast spells after all.

As they approach the gargoyle at the Headmasters office, stairs already open, they can hear running feet behind them. Malfoy whips up the hall and nearly crashes into them.

“Oi! Watch it Malfoy!”, Says Harry, dodging out of the way.

“Shut it Potter.”, and slams past them and up the spiral stairs to the headmasters office.

“Mr Malfoy. Very good, where are...”, He hears McGonagall start as he and Neville reach the office.  
“Ah very good.”

A small room is open to one side that Harry did not remember. A large glowing crystal is set into the floor and reaches about waist height. Rings of runes are set into the floor around it, larger and more complex sequences than he is familiar with. Sequences of lines, marked with more runes and symbols, created an elaborate webwork around the stone, coming together in five points at the edges of the outermost circle. Another small ring of runes comes out from each point, just big enough to stand in. Harry belatedly recognized it as a ritual circle, and most likely, considering where they are, one concerned with the protections of Hogwarts.

Some weedy Hufflepuff third year Harry can't put a name to but has seen at DA meetings is standing at one of the points already, wand in hand.

Draco looks at the circle, huffs and says “I'll take east then. Potter had better take west for fire and that leaves earth for Neville.”

“Professor?” Neville asks, clearly confused.

“As assistant headmaster I have taken over the protection of Hogwarts.” Minerva starts to lecture.

“Since we do not know what is wrong with those muggles, Madame Pomfrey has recommended we raise the castle ramparts and I agree. However, as Headmaster Dumbledore is unreachable, I need the assistance of four Lord or Lord-Apparents to raise them in an Alliance of Defense ritual.” She nods towards the four of them.

'Ah.' ,thought Harry. 'Wait.'

“Er. Professor? I'm not a Lord?” Harry paused. Draco gives him an indescribable look, part disgust and part confusion.

“Am I?”, Says Harry. 'Surely someone would have mentioned that little bit.'

“Blimey Harry.”, Said Neville “You've been a Lord since your father died. Or didn’t all the paperwork give you a clue?”

“What paperwork?”, Harry asks bewildered.

“Oh for... can we sort your idiocy out later Potter? Yes you are a lord, and so is Neville Merlin help us and so am I and Cockworth there. So can we get on with it before we get eaten?” Draco bites out.

Harry sidles gingerly into the position Draco had indicated. The others take their places in the other corners of the diagram. He can see Professor Snape, just out of the corner of his eye as he arrives in the office.

“I will do the casting, and all you have to do is answer when prompted that Yes you do agree to the defense of this castle and to this alliance until such time as the current threat has been removed. Understood?” Minerva asked crisply, for all the world like she was teaching them how to turn a matchstick into a hedgehog.

“Yes professor” they chorus. Snape hides a sliver of a grin.

Minerva starts a long involved chant in latin, indicating various directions, the wardstone, the castle and so forth as she goes on. Harry can feel a surge of magic around and through him, tugging at his core. Its very ...hmm. 'Oh dear.' Well... good thing he's wearing robes. 'Amazing what a good well cut robe can hide', he thinks uncomfortably.

One by one she questions them and they respond in the affirmative. Harry is the last and he feels a snap! Of magic through him as the ritual circle flares up painfully bright. He can feel the other's magic brushing up against his, especially one that felt warm and cold together and very tingly. 'mmm' He wanted more of that.

The floor is vibrating and Harry can hear a loud grinding noise from outside the castle.

“Well I think that did the trick.” Minerva says with satisfaction.

“Rather more than that, I would say.” Snape said, from his position at the window overlooking the grounds.

They leave the circle and gather staring out the window. Four rings of glinting gray stonework walls now surround Hogwarts, where each wardline had been. Guard towers punctuate them at intervals, and narrow vinelike bridges wound with cast iron rails reach out to attach themselves to Hogwarts proper, anchoring themselves to the building with a grinding crunch. Harry can see whirls of decorative stonework growing along the bridge and walls as support posts reach out and grab hold of rocks and soil.

“Oh my” Said Minerva.

“Whats wrong?” Said Harry,   
as Neville blurted “I'm sorry.”

Minerva laughed. “Oh no my lords. There's nothing wrong. It just seems that we may have put a little extra zing into things.”

Snape leaned close to the window. “Well some of the stonework reminds me of Malfoy Manor, I'd say the vines are Neville. Cockworth? I understand your father is an architect?”

“Yessir. Er.. I may have been thinking about late Norman buttresses .. a bit.”, the young boy says.

“Like along that bit of wall by the greenhouses?”, Neville asks, pointing.

“Oh yes exactly. Your vine bridges are very nice Neville... very organic.”, He says shyly. Neville grins back at him.

Harry admired the castle walls. Wow. He had no idea Hogwarts could do that. But, he ponders, it only made sense. The castle was built when people attacked them regularly so of course there had to be defensive walls someplace.

A sudden horrible thought hit him.

“Er professor? Do you think this sealed up the passageways too?”

“Quite probably.”, Said Snape. “But we had best make certain. Did that mangy mutt tell you of any others?”

“There are several on the map.” Harry says not thinking. Snape darts a single glance at Draco and scowls minutely at Harry. 'oops'

Minerva leans on the headmasters desk, obviously exhausted from the casting.

“Minerva you had best get to the Hospital wing and rest. I think our Harry and our young Lords can defend the castle for now.”, Snape looks at them challengingly.

“Sir?”, Harry interrupts Snape as he helps Minerva to her feet.

“Can Hogsmeade hold out? Should they be evacuated here? Has anyone notified the Ministry?” He rattled out questions almost as fast as he could think of them.

“Maybe, yes and, yes with no answer. For the moment we are on our own. When I have finished with Minerva I will examine the specimen you caught and then start preparing what potions I can for those girls.”

“Alright.”, Harry turns to the others.

“Neville, I want you to take second rank and patrol the grounds. Cockworth, do you think you can take the third rank of the DA and patrol the castle?”

“Sure”, said Neville.

“Think so Harry”, said Cockworth.

“And meanwhile I should what, cower in my common room like a firsty?”, sneered Draco.

“Nope. You and as many Slytherins as have nerve and brooms are going to join most of the first rank in patrolling our shiny new walls. It's a lot of ground to cover, we need all the wands we can put out there for now. All things considered for the moment it might be better to keep the Slytherins away from itchy wand hands.”

“And where will you be Potter?”

“I'll be taking George and Fred and evacuating Hogsmead through a secret passage from Honeydukes into Hogwarts proper. And then stopping up the others.” Harry said firmly.

“I'll put Zabini and Greengrass handling the Slytherins on the walls. I'm coming with you Potter.” Draco said, baring his teeth in a ferocious grin.

“Fine.” he bit out.

They rattled down the stairs of the headmasters office. Waiting for them in the hallway was Colin, Hermione, Ron and a handful of other DA messengers.

“Good. I need one messenger to each House – First rank and Slytherins on the walls. Zabini, Ron and Hermione in charge. One wall each. Split up foot patrols and air support. Neville and second rank to the grounds. Third rank and Lord Cockworth here patrol the castle.” Harry spoke his orders firmly, turning to each person in turn.

“Draco and I are taking Fred and George and going through the Honeydukes tunnel to evacuate Hogsmead. Hermione, have someone monitor all the tunnels on the Map. I'll block them off once we clear Hogsmead.”, He said pulling the map out of his pocket.

“Got it sir!”, the messengers chirp and bolt for their destinations.

Harry starts for Gryffindor tower, but is pulled to a halt by Draco's hand on his shoulder.

“And where are you off to?”

“Changing to heavier battle robes, getting some equipment and the twins. I'll meet you at the statue of the hunchbacked witch down by the History room. You'd better stock up while we're at it, we don't know what we're running into.” Harry said, watching Draco's face flicker from annoyance into surprise and something almost like respect.

Draco grins and half bows at Harry and then runs towards the Slytherin dungeons.

About fifteen minutes later and Harry is waiting at the statue of the witch, wand at the ready. His invisibility cloak is already balled up in his belt pouch. 'Hermione's expanding belt bags were the best Christmas present ever', he mused. He had already loaded his emergency potions store in, as well as some spare weapons, bandages and food. Just in case.

Fred and George are going through the stocks in their pockets of offensive jokes and explosives, brooms leaning up against the wall next to them.

Harry hears booted feet and looks up to see Draco wearing a heavy battle-robe over dragon hide jacket and pants. He of course looks fabulously tailored in comparison to what Harry feels is his collection of grubby rumples. Of course maybe balling the robes up for a pillow after dueling practice wasn’t the best idea.

“Alright, the tunnel should be clear, but keep your wands out just in case. Draco, this tunnel opens up in the basement of Honeydukes. If Professor Snape is right, we shouldn’t be seeing any ...zombies... in the buildings but some may have broken into the streets. Depends if the town wards held.”

“Stunners didn’t work on the first one, but Incarcerous did. And don’t let them bite you. All the ones we saw had bite marks, so it may be infectious and passed that way.”

“All right Harry.”, Said George.

Fred looks up from stowing away miniaturized bottled of potions in his pockets. “Think blindness works on 'em?”

“No idea. Plus also we don't know if they can be cured. I mean some can't ... I'm sure. The damage was ...nasty.” Harry thought back “But the just bitten, I don’t know. So try not to blow them up too much or anything. We don’t know if transformations work either, but I don’t particularly want zombie canaries flying around.”

“We have some vegetable transformations, they don't move. And I don't think a zombie potato will be dangerous.” Fred says with a straight face.

A momentary pause and Harry can't help it, he starts giggling. After a moment Fred grins widely and Harry can hear a choked off snort of laughter from Draco. That seems to have defused the tension.

“All right. All set?”, Harry asks. They all nod

Harry opens the tunnel entrance and is greeted with nothing but the expecting empty darkness. He inches into the tunnel wand at the ready.

“Last one in, lock the statue down just in case. We may come back above ground if its clear.”, Harry whispers.

“Lumos” He leads the way down the long tunnel with his glowing wand. Its an uneventful trip which is almost worst. His overactive mind is painting all sorts of horrible images.

They finally reach the other end. He motioned Fred into position. George muttered several spells and Fred shimmered out of visibility. The door opens a crack and they wait as the invisible Fred creeps out.

“Clear”, he whispers.

He motions George and Draco out next and closes the tunnel behind himself. 

Fred creeps soundlessly up the stairs. “Clear”, he whispers again. They follow him into the storefront and peer out the windows. As far as they can tell the streets are clear.

“Draco” Harry whispers “Try the floo. If we can get people out that way it'll be easier.”

“Why didn’t we just floo from Hogwarts?” Draco asked 

“Dumbledore locked it down before he left. Security.” Harry glares at Draco. He hated having to spill secrets to Draco, with his loyalty still likely in Voldemorts camp.

Draco lights the fireplace and starts trying other Hogsmead addresses to no avail.  
“Harry I think the whole network is locked down. I couldn’t even reach home. Not even one of the unregistered addresses.”

Harry says. “The problem might be more widespread than Scotland then, if the Ministry has locked down the floo.”

“C'mon, we'll have to go door to door.”

“Harry, Use this.” Fred hands him a somewhat familiar square of parchment.

“Sirius gave us the directions to make our own and we improved it ... this one updates to reflect the area you are in. We mapped Hogsmead out already...so you should be able to see all the buildings and everyone on there.”

“Brilliant!” Says Harry. 'This might even work' he thinks.

Half an hour of shadowy skulking later they have assembled all the terrified residents of Hogsmead in Honeydukes. Harry has left large signs on the major buildings indicating all residents were evacuated to Hogwarts, and he can finally lead his much expanded troupe home.

The villagers file into the hallway at Hogwarts, milling around in confusion to be greeted by Hermione.

Harry finishes up the end of the procession and seals the passage behind himself firmly, with wards to let him know if it is touched.

“Welcome to Hogwarts everyone! If you'll follow me, Acting Headmistress has had the old families wing opened up for you all and we should have plenty of space. Anyone with livestock are asked to take them to the stables, and all dangerous pets are to be kept enclosed at all times. As soon as you are settled a late dinner has been laid in at the Great Hall. We are asking for volunteers to help defend and supply the castle, once you have settled in.” Hermione indicated the villagers should follow Phoebe Adamson.

“Harry, We've divided things up by shifts. We're rotating the watches up the walls every two hours, so nobody gets too used to one section. We could use four watches, but with just the DA we are stretched a little thin.” Hermione consults her note pad.

“Neville reports no hostiles on the grounds, but they have taken care of some boggarts, devil's snare and apparently a very scary rabbit.” Ron continued, with a brief smile.

“One small altercation with a gryff and a snake but we put them on opposite sides of the castle so that'll do for now. The zombies are mostly bouncing off the wards but one did get right up to the wall before the defense wards fired off, but only one.”

“On that note, lightning bolts seem to work fine on them.” Hermione finishes, looking kind of ill.

“Ew”, said Harry

“Entirely.” agreed Hermione.

They turn the corner into the Great Hall.

“In other news the Great Hall has ...rearranged itself.”

Harry stopped in the doorway staring at the Great Hall. Where previously there had been the teachers table and then tables for the four houses, now there is another table below the teachers table lengthwise across the hall with four chairs at it facing the hall. Each one has different crest and carvings on it.

“Interesting” said Malfoy.

Neville was already sitting in his chair at the end of the table, with papers spread out in front of him. A runner burst in past Harry and brought Neville another written report, which he skimmed and added to the pile.

“Ah Harry, Draco. All went well?” he asked

He had a new note of confidence in his voice, Harry noticed.

“Yeah Nev. The town wards seem to have held, but we brought everyone back anyways. Left notes so people know were they went to.” Harry said

Draco flung himself into the chair made of pale colored wood with blue upholstery and a large sinuous wyvern posing menacingly on the crest.   
“I tried the floo network. Mortis cum portus takulatum. Ministry has it locked down completely.”

Harry looked at the last two empty chairs at what he supposed must be the new Lords table. One is a dark wood with gray leather cushions and what looks like grapes and something feathery on the crest. The last chair is ruddy mahogany, no cushions and a lion roaring ferociously.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Please don't tell me you don't even know what your family crest is.” He said with a sneer.

Neville nodded his head towards the chair with the lion.

“Well Draco I'd hate to make you happy but truth is ... I was raised by muggles remember? Muggles that hate wizards even. Not only do I not know what my crest is, I didn’t even know I had one. Much less a title.” He turned to Neville

“Which reminds me... you said you'd explain?”

“Well Harry when we started at Hogwarts Dumbledore took all us lords and heirs aside and said never to mention it to you ... said you had some kind of nervous condition over it and not to say anything til you did. Something about not wanting your fathers legacy because he died to save you.”

Harrys eyebrows rise. “Great another thing that old coot is holding back from me. Nope Nev, no 'nervous condition'. I just never knew. Let me guess ... it's just another one of the things that makes people think I'm dangerous and unstable right?” Bitterness in every word.

“Oh come off it Potter. Like Dumbledore would hide anything from his favorite. Everyone knows he's been voting your seats for years.” Draco drawled sarcastically

“Voting my what?” Harry's magic started to rise. He tried to push it down but it still crackled around him.

“Er Malfoy? Can you not make Potter angry? Its going to do weird things to the wards.” Neville asked plaintively as the ground shuddered gently.

“Let me guess. As a Lord, which I didn't know about, I have seats in the Wisengamot and other bodies, which I also didn't know about, which Dumbledore has been voting 'on my behalf'. Is there anything else nobody has felt like not telling me about?” he is trying to restrain himself really, but with one thing and another he has just about had enough of Dumbledores manipulations.

Neville looked uncertainly at Draco. 'Oh great' thought Harry.

Draco rose to his feet and circled the table to face Harry directly, almost challengingly.

“I think the only other major thing would be your betrothal, a year before you were born, to the yet un-born heir to the Malfoy family. Me.”

Harry's mind was frozen in a strange mix of anger, shock, pain, betrayal and confusion. His mind was stuck on two words. Betrothed and Draco. Him, Betrothed and Draco. S'pose thats three words he thought crazily.

Draco contemplated him for a moment.

“But I suppose you didn't know that either.” He drawled, then leaned forward and kissed Harry gently on the lips, and nonchalantly strolled away.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry valiantly avoided Draco for the next week. Even seeing him at the other end of a corridor would make Harry blush a violent red and dodge into any convenient hiding spot. Its remarkable, he thought, how many closets there are in a building the size of Hogwarts. And empty classrooms and stairwells going nowhere and ...

Classes were still being held in the mornings, but afternoon classes were canceled and the whole schedule jiggered to allow for watches on the walls. But the afternoon strategy meeting could not be avoided. So he sat with all the Lords at their table with his 'Generals', Ron and Hermione and Draco's 'Generals', Zabini and Greengrass and what Professors that weren't on watch.

“Still no word from Headmaster Dumbledore” Minerva said sadly. “No word at all from the Ministry either. We fear the worst”

“As I have said before Minerva. If Albus was still at the Ministry then he very well could have been locked in with everyone else.” Snape said acidly.

“Acting Headmistress? Have you tried to send owls?” Asked Hermione

“Yes Hermione. Oh I see. The owls do leave and attempt to deliver.” Minerva acknowledged

“Which means he must be alive somewhere, or they would just not accept the letter” Hermione said triumphantly.

Malfoy added “Owls left but cannot deliver to my father, and the one I sent to my mother has not yet returned.”

“Ron? How go the defenses?” Harry asked.

“Well the good news is that barring the odd exception all the zombies are stuck at the wardlines. The handful that got past got destroyed by the defense charms on the walls. As far as we can see the creatures are all wearing muggle clothing.”

Hermione continued, checking her notes. “Five have reached the walls. We can see no difference between them and the others. One has dark skin, but there are dark skinned zombies remaining. We have seen no zombies that anyone recognized, and none in wizarding clothing. Everyone has kept well within the walls, so the two girls in quarantine are the only ones with any exposure at all.”

Minerva picked up from there. “As suggested Poppy placed the girls in high quarantine immediately. Her medical scans showed only an unknown virus in their systems. She healed the bites easily enough, but one of the girls started a high fever that night.”

She sighed. “Miss Jones may not recover. She has lost all reason, and tears at herself and the walls to get out. She has attempted to attack Poppy and the house elves. She will eat no food but meat. The other girl however had a mild fever and is now fine. Still in quarantine as we are not taking any chances.”

“Why the difference?” Harry asked quietly. At the other startled glances he said “Well they both got bitten at the same time and got the same treatment. Why is one sick and the other fine?”

Hermione glanced down. “Jones and McMaran are both fourth year and both Ravenclaw, both female. No unusual records of illness here at school, the usual mild colds and accidental bruises and the like from Poppy’s records. McMaran can't remember any unusual childhood illnesses or anything recent. She's had all the usual preventative charms placed at St Mungos.”

“And Jones?” Snape asked.

“Well Jones is a little harder since we obviously can't ask her. But from what McMaran says, nothing unusual. No treatment at St Mungo's since her parents are muggles and uncomfortable with wizarding medicine.”

“Wait” said Malfoy. “Jones is Muggleborn? What about McMaran?” Draco asked suddenly.

“McMaran is three quarters, technically. Her mother is a halfblood and her father a pureblood.” Hermione said “ Do you think that's it?”

“Well”, said Harry “We won't know until more people are bitten and I'd rather avoid that. But … no wizard zombies... and the muggle wards repel all but a few. I'm willing to hazard a bet the five that got to the walls have a tiny drop of wizard blood in there someplace. Enough to be a little bit of a squib and get past the muggle wards.”

“Which means Harry if you are right” said Draco “That wizards with little or no muggle blood will be effectively immune to these things.”

“Except for the biting and ripping apart thing Draco. That kills anybody”, Harry reminded.

“Professor Snape? Is there any way we can test that theory? On just blood samples or something?” Hermione asked.

“Indeed Miss Granger. I think you and I should speak with Madame Pomphrey about this.” Professor Snape answered. “And some selected Ravenclaw students perhaps.”

“Neville? How are the grounds doing?” Harry asked. Neville and his group of DA had been put in charge of the grounds first night and have continued. 

“Well Hagrid has set up paddocks for the village beasts. The house elves have been handling the milking and gathering eggs. Professor Sprout has opened up some of the disused greenhouses and laid out vegetable gardens for the villagers to plant in. It's getting towards winter, so the greenhouses have been her priority of course. We fenced off the willow and the more dangerous bits so the village kids don't get into too much trouble.” Neville recounted.

“We've already had one down a well, the daft thing” Said Malfoy, rolling his eyes.

“Down a well?” asked Hermione, alarmed. 

“Oh he's right as rain” said Neville. “The well had plenty of water and Professor Flitwick levitated him right out. Wizards are pretty tough children.” He smiled broadly.

“Cockburn? How stands the castle proper? Are the villagers settled in?” Harry asked the Hufflepuff.

“This place is really too big for useful patrols. We've been keeping an eye on the most used areas and the ground floor of course. The portraits and suits of armor are alerted as are the ghosts and they have been patrolling the outer areas. The only trouble is that people are getting bored and really concerned about not having any outside word. The wizarding wireless has been silent and almost nobody has gotten an owl back. The owlery is nearly deserted.”

“Thank you all for your hard work.” Said Minerva, smiling tiredly at the table. “I know that you had not expected to have to stand as Lords at your age, but it has been a great boon to the school. In times of stress we wizards do like to have our leaders clear and visible.” She smiled.

“The mayor of Hogsmead has asked that the villagers be permitted to attend mealtimes with the students, either at their old school tables or at a new Hogsmead table. How do my Lords find this?” She looked up and down the table at Neville, Draco, Harry and Damon.

“Fine” said Harry “as long as the littlest kids don't run around underfoot.”

“Well I'd prefer they stayed at their own table” said Malfoy consideringly “But as long as they don't sit at the house tables every night it should be fine.” Harry mentally scowled. 'snobby ponce' he thought.

“I don't think it should be a problem. Only about a third of them are alumni, and the ones with family will stay at their table or eat in quarters. I've gotten to know some of them from the grounds. They seem mainly decent folk.” Neville answered slowly.

“I think it will help them settle, honestly. Some of them have been getting stir crazy cooped up in the family wing.” Cockburn said sincerely. “For that matter, do we want to consider opening the common rooms?”

Harry and Draco both started “No, I...” and stopped. Draco looked at Harry and gracefully waved him on, mouth quirked in a sly smile. Harry blushed beet red.

Harry continued, ignoring his flaring red face. “I think the house common rooms should stay as they are. But perhaps some other common areas could be opened? For oh... playing chess, and telling stories and so forth? And the Library of course.”

“That is a very sensible suggestion Damon, Harry. And I think some of the old Crafts classrooms might be of use. Hermione? Can you have some students check for possible public commons?”, Minerva tilted her head at Hermione enquiringly.

“Of course Headmistress”, Hermione chirped and wrote it down on her list.

“In the meantime Headmistress, I think that Draco and I should take a patrol out. Check the local area, see if any wizards are holed up anyplace and maybe check the muggle roads and things. See whats going on out there.”

“Lord Harry! You can’t mean to risk getting infected.” gasped McGonagall.

“I was thinking on broomsticks of course. As long as we don't land I'm fairly sure zombies can't fly. Should be safe enough, and I really don't like not knowing whats going on.” Harry leaned back, thinking about the villages nearby.

“I think Potter has an idea. But!” Severus held up one potion stained hand. “Not until after Madame Pomfrey and I have tested the blood samples. In the meantime I think my Lords, you should form up your troops and practice some tactical drills. The quidditch pitch, I think , should suit” He drawled.

+++++

Harry is beginning to hate Snape even more than usual. Apparently Quidditch training and tactical flight are definitely NOT the same. And Draco smirking at him just at the corner of his vision isn't helping one iota.

“Form up!” he shouted. He hadn't tried this yet. Lets see if the DA can figure it out. After a few puzzled glances the ranks of the DA formed themselves in a wobbling bobbly line in midair in front of him. The non DA fliers added themselves to the further back ranks.

Harry perused the ranks. Too close together, he thought.

“Break by squads. Carefully now. You new ones stay put for a moment.”

'That's better', he thought, the squads hung in clusters of six people each, with space between the squads. Admittedly the whole mess now took up a lot of the sky over the quidditch pitch but chances are he'd only have a few squads in the air at a time.

“New people! I need squads of six. If you can, make sure each squad has at least one strong flier.”

Harry kept four squads in the air and had the rest observing as he worked them through modified drills. Its hard to anticipate what would be needed … he tried turns and position shifts at various speeds, then dives as a group and with one person with the rest covering.

Draco hovered near him on his Nimbus “I think we need to practice retrievals of both people and items. And maybe some simulated zombie attacks.”

Harry was thinking more about tactics and movement than anything else. He turned to Draco distractedly. “We should also work on low flying, figure out how high is just safe enough, and dodging obstacles at speed.”

Draco opened his mouth to reply and then a flash of concern and fear, looking over Harry’s shoulder. Harry started to dodge and then a body collided with him and smacked him out of the air. It was a rough jumbled tumble, and then a smack and cracking roll into the turf of the pitch.

“Ooops!?” Said a female voice. Laying on his back on the pitch, Harry took a moment to connect a name to the voice. Ginny. Of course it would be Ginny. 'Bet she was trying to show off and get my attention again.' he thought with annoyance.

“Stay still Potter” said Malfoy, one imperious hand on his chest holding him still.

“mmkay” Harry said groggily. He stared up at the crisp blue sky. 'Ow.'

“Well the good news is Harry that you have minor bruising but nothing serious.” Draco said, seriously, examining the results from a diagnostic spell Harry recognized as a basic first aid charm.

Harry sat up gingerly. A few feet away Zabini was holding off a tearful and shouting Ginny. Harry frowned. He was going to have to do something about that; her following him around had stopped being funny and started being dangerous.

Harry checked himself over. Some bits hurt but pretty much he was okay. “My broom” he blurted and jumped to his feet. 'whoa' he lurched, and put his hand out, grabbing hold of the nearest person. Who happened to be Malfoy. Who was looking steamingly angry. He let go, only to have Draco latch on to his arm firmly.

“All right there Potter?” Draco asked, looking more concerned and slightly less angry.

“Yeah just kind of dizzy”, Harry said, confused.

“Your broom is fine, you popped right off of it and it just floated down like its supposed to.”

Harry patted himself down. Glasses fine, potions bottles in his pockets fine, wand … oh shit. Wand. NOT fine.

He drew his wand out of his pocket and couldn't suppress a pained whimper. It was split in two, obviously fractured open from the impact. A glittering gold and red feather spilled out in his hand.

“Oh Harry”, Draco breathed, sounding very sad.

“My wand.”, Harry was strangely bereft. He sank to his knees, cradling the fractured wood in his hands, the phoenix feather lolling out.

He looked up at Draco, “This can't be repaired can it.” he stated flatly.

“No Harry it can't.” Draco replied, soft voiced.

“Pity. I liked being a wizard.” Harry said dreamily and folded over gently onto the grass.

+++++

The Hospital wing was a serene quiet place of healing. Even the portraits kept their voices down. Often students came to the healer as a refuge from the noise and chaos of their house common rooms or dorms.

But not right now.

Because right now Draco Malfoy was in fine form and mad enough to chew iron and spit out perfectly formed nails.

“You stupid attention seeking little brat! You know perfectly well he didn't have your group working on dives at all.” Draco was seethingly angry. Honestly, the last time he was this mad all the windows in the downstairs drawing room had to be replaced.

“But I just...”, Ginny started.

“You just wanted him to notice you! Don't bother hiding it” He sneered. 'As if the whole school hadn't seen her running after Harry like a bitch in heat.' 

“And why shouldn't he notice me.” she snapped back

“Because you daft tart. He's. MY. Fiance.”, He bit out. 

He opened his mouth to say more, darkly pleased at her aghast expression, when Harry moaned and drew his complete attention.

“Harry are you okay?” he said.

“No.”, Harry said weakly.

“You are having core stability issues. We're looking for a new wand you can use. Hermione said she knows what your old one was, so something similar might do.” Draco said soothingly. “But even without one you should be fine if you can cast anything wandlessly.”

“Holly 'n' phoenix. Fawkes” Harry muttered and closed his eyes again.

“Malfoy” Hermione bustled into the room trailed by several Ravenclaws with lists. 

“Nobody seems to have spare wands. I've discounted anyone younger than Harry who bought from Ollivander, since he would have seen those wands at Ollivanders and rejected them already. I'm also focusing on volunteers who are strong in Defense like Harry, those are more likely to be compatible.”

“No” said Harry.

“What Harry?” asked Hermione, perching at the edge of his bed. Pomfrey was at the other side near Ginny, monitoring charms.

“No. I won't take someone elses wand.”, Harry repeated.

“Well its not as if there is a wand store lying around Harry! Or a secret stash of them in a closet.” Hermione snapped.

'Stash. Wait a moment.' “Hermione. The Room of Hidden Things.” Draco's mind was whirling. He was sure he's seen at least one wand in there.

Hermione blinked at him.

“You need to get some people in there digging out wands.” Draco said urgently, “ I know I've seen at least one in there.”

Hermione pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Well I'll still have someone checking on volunteer wands. But that's a good idea. We might as well clean out everything else while we're in there.”

“Better check everything for curses”, Draco said. “I know there is at least one chair near the door that will try to eat you if you sit in it.”

Hermione huffed, “Wizards do some strange things. We'd better check the last spells cast on any wands we find too. Take notes just in case the Aurors need them later for evidence.”

The whole flock of Ravenclaws follow Hermione obediently out the door, arguing over curse detecting spells. Draco remained sitting by Harry's bed. Staring down at Harry's flushed face, he pondered what exactly he wanted from Harry. He'd always known that one day he and Harry would be married. Arranged marriages for families as old as his and the Potters were common. Lily might have been a muggleborn but she had embraced the wizarding way wholeheartedly. No matter which side would win the war, Harry and Draco would be safe, and that was all both families really wanted.

And then that disastrous trip to Madame Malkins and then the train. Draco sighed for what a little idiot he'd been. But then he'd thought Harry knew, like he did, and had been looking forward to having someone he belonged to, like Draco did. Someone who could never ignore him or make him go away. He'd just wanted to impress him and keep him away from the Weasleys, who he had always been told weren’t good wizards. And then when Harry turned him down ... of course he was angry. So hurt and upset... HIS fiance, his Harry wouldn't even shake his hand.

Of course it didn't take long before Draco knew that Harry didn't know anything about anything. And that burning rejection turned into an even worse 'notice ME'. He'd do anything to have those snapping green eyes focused on him, that magic curling and pushing against his.

The raising of the walls ...that was a special kind of torture. First his shock that Harry had no idea of his rank and then ... Harry's magic and his twined together. Okay and Neville and whatshisname; But oh Harry. Good thing he had loose robes on. Good thing he had loose robes on now. He wanted that again, that magic, that attention, Harry. That kiss in the Great Hall later ... he can’t believe he had the nerve.

His anger drained away from him.

“Ginny, Harry and I were betrothed by our parents before we were born. It was an effort to stop the war. We can't break the betrothal. So we can marry each other, or nobody at all. I've always known, and I thought Harry did too.” 

He took a deep breath and looked at her, “So no matter what Harry wants, you can never marry him, never be bound to him. And not just because of me, but because of your family’s curse. You need to let go of the idea. Look for someone who you can have a future with.” He could tell the words just aren’t sinking in, she's getting that stubborn mulish Weasley grimace.

He sighed, “And if you do try anything I'll have you up for line theft and hex you until your descendants are still feeling it.”


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione surveyed the Room of Hidden things with her lips pursed. 'What a mess!' she thought. 'But Draco did have a point ... if there were spare wands at Hogwarts, this was the best place to find them.'

“First group. Make a list of classes of items you can see within, oh call it twenty meters of the door. Second group, there should be some unused rooms along the corridor, clear some out. Third group, run down to the Library and come up with a list of every poison, hex, charm and dark magic detection spell you can. I'm going to start transfiguring junk from the classrooms into boxes for storage.”

Hermione glared at the offending heaps of discarded items. If Harry's safety lay with somehting in here then by all the gods she was going to find it.

It was not for another hour that Hermione and her little flock of Ravens were ready to start actually searching the area. They arranged themselves in groups to cast the class detection spell, to accio the items, to check everything with detection spells and finally to shrink and pack items in boxes and place them in the nearby classrooms.

As they stripped the first layer of items they found the first wand. It was wrapped in a pair of lacy girls knickers and jammed halfway in a bottle. With a happy grin Hermione gingerly picked it up by the knickers and placed it in a special box they had put aside for wands.

Half a box of Weasely prank products later, they had amassed a scant handful of wands. Along with a wide array of other objects ranging from scorched furniture to an impressive pile of Hogwarts library books to a collection of dodgy looking Chocolate Frog cards.

One of the seventh year students cleared the wands and recorded the Priori Incantatem for each of them. In most cases it was an innocuous spell, and once a Protego. Hermione clutched the box to her chest as she rushed to the Infirmary wing. The Ravenclaws continued sorting, she knew she had caught that fever that one gets when sorting out someone elses things. What new interesting or embarrassing thing will I find next? And Hogwarts Hidden Things certainly lived up to that, she thought.

As Hermione drew close to the ward Harry was in she passed several DA members, not so unobtrusively on guard. Some of them had little colored bands on their sleeves with the Potter family colours on them. Draco's Slytherins had sprouted similar bands the other day with silver and white bands and she had a feeling that Nev and Cockworth would have declared followers soon as well. Something about wizards she mused … as soon as you had a Lord you had people standing behind them.


	4. Final Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These are the final notes for this story. It is being discontinued as I am retiring from writing fanfic.

Harry recovers from wha6t turned out to be backlash from the limiters placed on his wand. When they clear out the Hall of Hidden things, Hermione finds an enormous set of doors at the end, leading to a hidden protected and warded road only wixxen can access. Hermione thoerises that this is how people had travelled to Hogwarts before the train was created.

They use this road, which follows the old roman roads through the british isles, to rescue as many people as possible

The ministry got eaten by zombies including dumbledore. good riddance.

Harry, Draco and the other two nobles holding hogwarts, end up as lordlings. The refugees, magical and otherwise set up village life there and in other protected areas. Muggles are pretty much wiped out worldwide.

Petunia and dudley are rescued by harry's flying corp, and end up as serfs serving in the fields.

Since there are no more Muggles, Harry sends a letter to Voldemort, who agrees to sign a treaty once his body has been returned.

Hogwarts is declared neutral ground and Harry returns to Potter Hale to rules his family lands, which happily share borders with Malfoy Intrinsica and were the main reason that their mothers had betrothed them at birth.

Ginny end up pregnant by a muggle man and her mother disowns her in disgrace.


End file.
